Switch



2 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

(No Model.)

, E. H. ALLOUTT.

' SWITCH.

No. 311,461. Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

Fig. 2

Fig. 4

WITNESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

E. ALLOUTT.-

SWITCH.

110,311,461. Patented Feb. 3,1885.

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ELVVOOD HARVEY ALLOUTT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

SWlTCl-l.

EBPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,461, dated February 3, 1885.

Application filed December 2, 1884. (No model.)

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELwooD HARVEY ALL- oUT'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Switch, ofwhich the following isaspecification.

My invention relates to switches used in connection with a system of rails, upon each of which, in turn, operates a wheel attached to a carrier, and to which carrier is attached and suspended below the system of rails the thing or load to be carried.

The object'of my invention is threefold, as follows, to wit: first, to obtain such a switchhanger that the ends of the stationary rails, upon which, in the first instance, moves the carrier to which is attached the weight or thing to be carried, can be easily set in their proper position and held there rigidly-and without possibility of spreading. The second object is to obtain an arrangement or device for swinging on the side of the switch-hanger opposite to that by which the stationary rails approach a movable rail pivoted at one end to the right or left, so that its free end can be made to coincide in turn with the end of each of the stationary rails and then firmly and rigidly held, thus forming a continuation of the track afforded by any of the said stationary rails from the point where said stationary rail is firmly attached to the switclrlianger. The third objectis to obtain an arrangement or device to prevent any possibility of a carrier from leaving any of the said stationary rails, except when end of each of said stationary rails coincides in turn with the free end ofthe movable rail, as spoken of above under the second object, and also to prevent a can rier from leaving the said movable rail in the direction of the said stationary rails, except when the ends of said stationary rails coincide in turn with the free end of the said movable rail swung into such coincidence, and there secured, as stated in object two above. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front vertical view of the switch-hanger. Fig. 2 is a top horizontal view of the switch-hanger. Fig. 3 is a right-hand vertical view of the switch-hanger. Fig. 4. is

| a horizontal sectional view of the switchhanger, as indicated by the dotted line 00 00 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top horizontal view of a complete switch, and showing also the stationary rails and the movable rail. Fig. 6 represents a vertical sectional view from front of Fig. 5, cut through by plane 3 y, as shown in Fig. 5, showing also a carrier and its wheel in position on one of the rails when the free end of the movable rail is brought into coincidence with end of one of the stationary rails.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I accomplish the first object above enumerated by the switch-hanger shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, Plate 1. To accomplish this object I make the switch-hanger to consist of a plate, A, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, and two or more legs, Z) I) b, as shown-in Figs. 1 and 6, each leg being supplied with a foot, 0 c f, as shown in Fig. 4, a portion, 0, of which foot is also shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. The foot projects toward the left (see c, Fig. 4) from the bottom of each leg Z), so that such projecting portion of each foot may act as a support for the end of one of the rails g g g, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which said railsg g g, approaching from behind the switch-hanger, as shown in Fig.5, are carried each one over said projecting portion of each foot, as above, and flush with the front of the bottom of the legs b b b-that is to say, at z z z in Fig. 4. These rails g g 9, supported by said projections c e e in Fig. 4c, are each bolted, riveted, or otherwise rigidly seeured to the enlargement of the lower end of the legs b b I), just above the feet e of 0 cf 6 cf, the arrangement being shown in Fig. 6. The plate A, Fig. 1-, the legs I) b b, Fig. 1, and the feet 0 c c, Fig. 1, together constitute the switch-hanger. These may be all cast or constructed in one piece, or the plate A, Fig. 1, the legs I) b I), Fig. 1, and the feet 6 of e of 6 cf, Fig. 4, may be each cast or constructed separately and firmly fastened together in their proper position by riveting or bolting to insure rigidity and prevent the ends of the rails g g g from approaching toward or moving away from one another.

I accomplish my second object by constructing the system of levers m 70 i and the casting Z as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The bar It is bent,

as shown in Fig. 6, and pivoted at one end to the bar m, as shown in Fig. 6. The bar at, Fig. 6, is pivoted through a slot at pointn, as shown in Fig. 6, a slight up-and-down motion of the bar m being permitted by said slot at a. The end if of the bent bar 70 (see Fig. 6) projects through right-hand end of bart',fitting in a hole through bariso loosely as to permit a slight up-and-down motion at the other end of the bent bar It. The left-hand end of the bar i, as shownin Fig. 6,is turned up at aright angle and bolted or otherwise firmly secured to the side of the free end of the movable rail h, Figs. 5 and 6. The bar i rests on the projection o c c of the feet,(shown in Figs. 4 and 6,) and is held firmlyagainst these feet by the projection D'of the right-hand leg I), as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In the under edge of the left arm of bent bar 70, as shown in Fig. 6, are cut a series of notches, o o '0, in number equal to the number of stationary rails g g 9, (see Fig. 5,) and distant from each other a space equal to the distance between the ends of stationary rails g g y, where said ends of stationary rails g gg are attached to the enlargements of the legs of the hanger. These notches are of a size sufficient to permit them to fit easily over the bottom of a slot in casting Z, through which slot in casting Z the bar It passes, as shown in Fig. 6. To swing free end of the movable rail h, so as to make it coincide with the end of the stationary rails g g 9, lift the bar m, so as to release any notch 12 in bar from bottom of said slot in casting Z. The bar 70 can then be swung easily to the right ,or left, as desired, thus moving bar 1' and the free end of movable rail it toward the right or left vuntil said free end ofthe movable rail h coincides with the end of one of the other stationary rails 99 y, when another notch, 22, in bar It, coming over the bottom of the said slot in casting Z, allows bar 7c-to drop slightly, holding the free end of the movable rail h firmly secured in coincidence with the end of said last-mentioned stationary railg.

I accomplish my third object by means of the projections fff of the feet, as shown in Fig. 4,together with the plate i (shown in Figs. 5 and 6) and that portion of the bent bar 70 to the left of the band 8 s, as shown in Fig. 6. When the carrier 0 and wheel to are upon the movable rail h, as shown in Fig. 6, they are prevented from leaving said movable rail h, Figs. 5 and 6, if the free end of said movable rail h is slightly to the left of its proper position, (that is, the position where the free end of movable rail h coincides with the end of one of the stationary rails g g 9,) by the lower part of ca'rier 0 striking against the foot 0 of the leg I) immediately to the left, all as shown in Fig. 6. If the free end ofsaid movable rail h is slightly to the right of its said proper position, the upper part of carrier 0 will, by striking against leg b next on right to carrier 0, prevent the wheel 20 and carrier 0. Fig. 6, from leaving the movable rail h. The legs I) b b, Fig. 6, are curved away from the rails g g 9, so that they do not strike the carrier 0 whilesaid carrier is moving along rails g 99. The end t of bar is projects through bar 1', as shown at-t in Fig. 6, fitting loosely,'so as to permit a slight up-and-down motion at the-other end of bent bar k. WVhen the bent bark, Fig. 6, is swung to the left, thus swinging t and the movable rail 71 to the left, said projection of bent bar 70 at t, Fig. 6, will, by striking against the foot 0 of right-hand leg I), prevent the free end of the movable rail h from swinging to the left of the left-hand stationary rail 9, as shown in Fig. 6; also, when bent bark and bar 71 and free end of movable rail hare swung to the right, the upturned left-hand end of bar 2', as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, will, bystriking against the projection din Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, of righthand leg b, prevent free end of the movable rail h from being swung to the right of the end of the right-hand stationary rail all as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the wheel w and carrier 0 are approaching toward and from behind the switch-l1anger on any of'the stationary rails g g g, if themovable rail h, Fig. 6, were moved slightly to the right, the bar is would also move to the right,and the lower right-angled corner of the bent bar 7c, as shown by s in Fig. 6, would prevent wheel to and carrier 0 from leaving the said stationary rail g. Fig. 6, and if the movable rail h were moved slightly to the left of its proper position the wheel w would be p revcnted from leaving said rail 9 by the carrier 0 striking against the free end of movable rail h or the bar i, all as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

I claim as my invention 1. A switclrhanger for holding in place rigidly two or more stationary rails, so as to prevent the said rails from spreading apart, approaching one another, or from rising or falling from position, said switch-hanger being composed ofa top plate, A, and two or more legs, b b 12, each leg supplied with a foot, 00 0, all substantially as set forth.

2. A device for preventing a carrier from ICO leaving the system of rails at theswitch, said device obtained by combination of the bars 7c and i, the feet 0 c c, and the legs 1) 12b, all substantially as set forth.

3. A device obtained by combination ofthe levers m, 70, and 'i and the casting Z, for swinging a movable rail pivoted at one end, and holding the free end of said movable rail firmly in coincidence with the end of any stationary rail attached to the switch -hanger, all substantially as set forth.

ELWOOD HARVEY ALLCUTT.

WVitnesses:

PAUL G. HILLGARDNER, J. M. FOX. 

